Flush tank valve



Aug. 26 1952 Y. H. KURKJIAN FLUSH TANK VALVE Filed Dec. 2, 1949INVENTOR. YmvA/vr Ii fiU/PAJ/AN m ar x Patented Aug. 26, 1952 UNITED jsrs PATENT OFFICE" Q 7 t 2,607,924 7 7 7 v a f FLUSH TANK VALVE vejr antnurkjian, Clifton, N. J. Application December 2, 1949, Serial No. 130,742

This invention relates to flush'Itank Valves, and has for one ofitsobjects the production of a simple and efficient flush tank valve whichis so constructed asto prevent the valve from being improperly seatedupon the valve seat, and which is provided with means to holdthe rubberportion of thevalve away from: the valve seat until the valve is in aproper seating position.

A further object of this invention is the production' of a simple andefiicie'nt flush tank valve Claims. (CIA-56) .havingm'e'ansj for forcingthe valve-into sealing engagement with aivalve seat' when the valvemovesto a closed position'and for breakin its sealing engagementfwiththe valve seat when a liftingrpressure is exerted upon. the valve stemof the valve. I i

still, further objectof this invention is the provision of a flexiblestem and connection thereof with the valve to provide for, a. universalmovement of the valve, whileseating to' insure centering of the valveand; the proper seating of the valve, even though the actuating rod isout of alignment or off center,w o

Other objects and'advantagesof; the present invention will, appearthroughout the following specification and claims.

t In the drawing:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the valve;

Figure-2 isa top plan view of thegvalve;

, I Figure 3-is a vertical sectional view of the valve in itsseat-sealing position upon the valve seat;

' Figure 4 is a top plan .view of the rigid flange ring which is carriedbythe lower open'endof the flexible valve, a'portion ofthe ring beingshown insection;-

v Figure 5 is a horizontal sectionalview taken on line.55 of Figure 1; IU

,Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view ofthe valve, partly in elevation,showing the valve in a position justbefore it is drawn to a sealedseat-engaging position; I a Y a V Figure 7 is a view similar 'to Figure6 showing the manner. of breaking the sealing engagement of the flexiblevalve with the valve seat;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modified type of valve andrigid flange ring.

. By referring to thedrawingin detail, it will be seen that Illdesignates al conventional valve seat of a conventional flushtank. Ahollow flush valve .II 'is adapted to fit snugly upon the seat ID, inthe mannershownin the drawing. The flush valve I I is formed of softrubber, and is provided with an open bottom having an inturned annularhaving an annular thickened flange I3 around its top periphery, whichflange I3 encircles a flexible diaphragm top wall I4. This diaphragm topwall I4 supports astem I5 which preferably is provided with a socket I6at its lower end adjacent to the point where the stem I5 connects to thediaphragm to add flexibility at this point of junction. An internallythreaded socket member I7 is fitted in the upper end of the stem- I5andreceives the lower threaded terminal of the valve operating rod I8,as shown in Figure 3.

Triangularly shaped ribs I9 arranged inradiati-ng relation to the socketI6 are formed integral with the side wall 20,-and-the under face ofthediaphragm top wall I4, as shown in Figure'3. 1 It should be noted-thatsince the wall 'andthe diaphragm top wall are formed of flexible softrubber, the ribs I9 will efllciently brace the same and tend to hold thebody of the valve in shape flange I2 at the periphery o f the openbottom.

and against collapse, The, ribs I9 extend on an incline from a. valveseat engaging portion of the side wall zil to a point adjacent thejunction of the stem I5-with the diaphragm I4, as-shown clearly inFigures 3, 6 and 7.

Because of the flexible nature of theflush valve,

the side wall 20 will conform to the contour of the valve seatandthereby provide an eflicient seal when thevalve is seated inposition.

A rigid flange ring 2! formed of metal, plastic,

or other rigid material, is removably secured to the inturned flange 'I2 of the valve :Ij and comprises an'inner-flange 22 which overhangs theflange I2 of the valve I I, and a spacedouterflaring flange 23 whichunderlies the flange I2 therey fi n annula anne tw n h flanges 22 and 23to snuglyretain the flexible soft rubber inturned flange I2 of the valveI I, and to hold the ring 2| upon the valve II." The flange 23preferably is provided with a straight horizontal upper face 24 whichprojects laterally and annularly at substantially right-angles to theaxis of the ring 2! beyond the lower end of the valve II. The ringZI isprovided with a central aperture 25 and, an upwardly and outwardlyinclined bottom face 26, as shownin detail in Figure 3,-

It should be notedJthat the ring 2I flares out,- wardly or laterally ofthe inwardlyinclined flexible wall 20 of the valve I I so that the outerperiphery ofthe flange 23 will contact the inner face, of the outletpipe 21 when the valve II is moving to-a seating position upon the valveseat I0. In this way the valve willnotbecome improperly seated npon thevalve seat which might cause a leakin actionjbut the metal or rigidring, by strikinglthe valve seat or the inner face 3 of the outlet pipetends to center the valve and cause the valve to be directed to apropersealing position upon the seat Ill. The force of the water hittin theupper face 24 of the flange 23 will suddenly pull the valve II to aproper and tight seating contact upon the valve seat. This ring 2|reinforces the lower end of the valve to prevent the valve fromcollapsing, and tends to hold the'soft rubber valve out of closincontact with the seat until the valve is properly centered and is thensuddenly and forcibly pulled to a sealing position upon the valve seatIll, Furthermore, the ring by being formed of metal, plastic, or

4 having a laterally extending flange protruding beyond the lower end ofthe body and adapted to contact the outlet pipe of a flush tank to holdthe flexible valve out of contact with the valve seat until the valve isproperly centered and is in a proper seating position.

2. A tank valve comprising a hollow flexible body, a valve seat adaptedto receive said body, Said d having a bstan ially i verte coneshapedformation, said body having an open lower end, a rigid ring removablysecured and fitted in said open lower end, said ring having a laterallyextending guiding flange protruding beother rigid material, and becauseof its inclined under face striking the metal outlet pipe 21 will tendto slide off the upper edge of the valve seat H! toward a centeredposition in the outlet pipe 27 as the valve l I moves to a closingposition. It s I should be noted that the ring 23 causes the valve H tofirst center and to then suddenly pull the valve H to a sealing positionupon the seat 19 when the rushing water-from the tank passes downwardlythrough the outlet pipe 2?. thermore, the pressure of the water upon thediaphragm top wall l4 will force the ribs 19 downwardly and therebyforce the inclined wall 25 firmly'lin contact with the seat NJ, as shownin Figure 3;

However, when the rod [8 is pulled upwardly to flush the tank, the-stem[5 will be pulled upwardly, thrbyraising the diaphragm Id and in thisway exerting an upward pull 'upon the radiating ribs [9. This upwardpull upon the ribs will exert an inward pull upon the valve seatengaging portion of the wall 28 to produce dimples 28 in the outer faceof'the wall and thereby break the seal between the wall 20 and the seat[0, This action will permit water from the tank T to pass between thevalve 1 ii and the seat It], and thereby cause the valve'to be easilyreleased from the seat H] without excessive pull upon the 'opera ting'rod "18, -Furthermore, the flexible stem and diaphragm willfacilitate'the centering of the valve evenif the actuating rod is out ofalignment or is off eenten; The flange l3by extending above thediaphragm l4 defines a dished upper end for the valve to receive waterfrom the tank and to, thereby add'additional weight to the valve tofacilitate seating. The flexible stem and'diaphragm facilitate universalmovement of the valve relative to the actuating rod and irrespective ofthe aligned position of the actuating rod. I

The ring 2| in addition to reinforcing the bottom of the valve llprovides a weighted bottom for the valve to further facilitate theseating of the valve H.

As shown in Figure 8, the open end of the valve H may be reinforced byanencasing rigid substantially U-shaped rigid reinforcing and guidingring 2H, if desired, as a modified form in place of the preferred ring2| shown in detail in Figure 3. Other detail changes in structuraldesign may be made within the scope of the present invention, so long asthese changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what Iclaim as new is:

1. A tank valve comprising a hollow flexible body adapted to snugly fitupon a valve seat, said body having a substantially inverted coneshapedformation, said body having an open lower end, a rigid ring secured toand cmried by said open lower end, said ring completely surroundingthelower end of the body, and said ring Furyondand completelysurroundingthe lower end of the body, said ring having a tapered upwardly andoutwardly flared bottom face for facilitating the guiding of the body toa valve seat engaging position, and said ring having a straight upperface at substantial right-angles to the central axis of the body todefine a water abutment face to facilitate seating of the valve as waterrushes over the valve while passing through an outlet pipe uponwhichthervalve is adapted to be used.

3.-Atank valve comprising a substantially in,- verted cone-shapedflexible body adapted, to seat snugly upon a valve seat, said bodyhaving a flexible side walLsaid-side wall having a valve seat engagingportion, a flexible diaphragm forming a partof the body, ribs; connectedto the diaphra m and connecteddirectlvinwardlv and in line with,saidvalve seatengaging portion'of said sidewall, actuatingmeans-connected tothe dia: phragm to lift the: iVQvlYQfI'OHlfl valve seat, and saiddiaphragm adaptedtoflexoutwardly assaid actuating means is lifted topullsaid ribs and said valve seat engaging portion of said side wallin,- wardly of the body thereby defining depressed dimples intheouterface of the side-wall'of the body and to thereby break the gripof said side wall of the body from a valve-seat and to therebyfacilitate the moving ofithe valve to an open position relative to avalve seat.

4. A tank valve comprising a hollow flexible body adapted toiseat snuglyupon an outwardly flared valve seat of a flush tank, said body having asubstantially inverted cone-shaped formation, a flexible diaphragmcarried by the body, an actuating member carriedby said flexiblediaphragm, said body having a fiexible valve seat engaging portiontoprovid e a'sealing' seat engaging means for said valve, and ribsconnected to said diaphragm and also eennected directly in the rear ofsaid valve seat engaging portion of said body forexer'ting adirect'inward pulling action upon said valve seat engaging portior topull the valve seat engaging portion away from a valve seat to break thesealing'engagement thereof and to thereby release the valve from thevalve seat ofa flush tank.- l

5. A tank valve-comprising a hollow flexible body adapted to seat snuglyupon abomplernen tary valve seat, said bedy having afsubstlantiallyinverted cone-shapedformation andhaving a forfexerting a direct aetion:upon said valve seat engagingporti r V V V ertile-. 1 va vese t,engagglg P n aw ir ma va v s at 9 break the sealing engagementthereofand. to thereby 5 6 release the valve from a valve seat, a rigidring REFERENCES CITED Secured to and carried by the lower end of saidThe following references are of record in the body, said ring completelysurrounding the lower me of mi atent: end of said body, and said ringhaving a laterally S p extending flange protruding beyond the lower end5 UNITED STATES PATENTS of the body and adapted to contact the outletpipe Number Name Date of a flush tank to hold the flexible valve out of1,683,877 Palmer Oct. 23, 1928 contact with a valve seat adapted toreceive the 1,947,627 Wayne Feb. 20', 1934 same until the valve isproperly centered and is 2,015,614 Burnes Sept. 24, 1935 in a, properseating position. 10 2,139,862 Shesler Dec. 13, 1938 YERVANT H.KURKJIAN. 2, 71,447 Heath Aug. 29, 1939 2,222,856 Robertson et a1 Nov.26, 1940

